Electrical outlets are designed so that plugs are inserted perpendicularly into the socket. This oftentimes causes electrical cords to stick out, which is not aesthetically pleasing. This design also requires that a generous amount of space be left between furniture and the electrical socket so that a plug may be inserted and removed from the electrical outlet. For example, a bed may not be pushed all the way up against a wall because it may block an electrical outlet that a person may want to use for a reading lamp. The user may therefore be required to leave about 4 inches between the bed and the wall, thus wasting the space between the bed and the wall.
Electrical outlets currently used today are also potentially hazardous. There may be a risk that people, especially young children, may insert metal objects into the socket and potentially get shocked and/or electrocuted. Adults tend to “baby proof” their electrical outlets by inserting rubber plugs into them, but the rubber plugs are an added expense and can easily be removed, thereby exposing the outlet again.